Economic evaluation of a surveillance program of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in India

Surveillance of patients of cirrhosis of liver is practiced for early detection of HCC. No data from any developing country on cost-effectiveness of such a program are available.

Economic evaluation of HCC surveillance was embedded in a prospective study undertaken to estimate the incidence of HCC in 194 cirrhotics. The protocol consisted of 6 monthly abdominal ultrasound (US) and serum alphafetoprotein (AFP) estimation, and yearly triple phase CT. Cost was estimated from the hospital and patient perspectives. Cost-effectiveness ratios for detecting a case of HCC were estimated. Modeling was done to estimate cost effectiveness with different combinations of diagnostic tests.

Cost-effectiveness ratios of HCC surveillance program per HCC case detected were estimated as US$ 280 from the hospital perspective. From patient perspective, these were US$ 9,965 for outstation and US$ 2,808 for local patients. Cost-effectiveness ratio for direct medical cost per case of HCC detected by 6 monthly US and AFP, the EASL protocol, was estimated to be US$ 1,510 in the private sector.

The cost of HCC surveillance program is exorbitant for India (gross national income per capita US$ 620) and possibly other low/middle income countries.